Oral cavity appliance



Aprfifi 14, 3936. J LOCKE ZJBZQ ORAL GAVI TY APPLIANCE Filed Nov. 10, 1934 James Locke M/Q/QWFZQW Patented Apr. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to oral cavity appliances and more particularly to devices adapted to be fitted within the mouth of a thumb-sucking child.

The primary objects of the instant invention are to provide an appliance of the character above indicated designed to break a child of the thumb-sucking habit; to provide such a device having a portion which when the appliance is in fitted position within the mouth is engaged by the inserted thumb and suction in the oral cavity is precluded; to provide such a device having a portion which when the appliance is in fitted position within the mouth is engaged by the inserted thumb and prolonged contact of the thumb against the teeth and/or gums of the child is prevented; and, to provide such a device which may be either fixedly or removably fitted within the oral cavity.

Thumb-sucking by children over a prolonged period of time causes displacement of the natural position of the teeth and an arching of the front upper bone of the child resulting in permanent facial distortion and a generally unbecoming appearance. Since this facial distortion is efiected by suction within the oral cavity, both during waking and sleeping moments, the primary object of the instant invention is to break and thus prevent such suction. Until the thumb-sucking habit has been broken, which habit is not infrequently persisted in by some children until they reach the age of ten years, orthodontia work is of no value since the effect of such suction counteracts the force of the orthodontia appliance.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the roof of the mouth of a child showing one form of a fixed appliance of the instant invention fitted therein;

Figure 2 is a sectional view thereof on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical central sectional view showing the appliance in fitted position within the mouth of a thumb-sucking child and illustrating the manner in which the suction created is broken and thus prevented;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the appliance per se;

Figure 5 is a side elevational View thereof;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of this appliance; and

Figure 7 is a modified form of appliance of the removable type.

Referring now to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawing in which like parts of the device are designated by the same numerals in the several views, the appliance there illustrated comprises a pair of bands [0, ll shown as fitted to the upper oppositely disposed pre-molars I 2 in a manner conventional in orthodontia work.

Secured to the insides of the bands l0, II in any suitable manner, as by soldering or welding, is an arched portion l3 whose medial part preferably depends slightly and is likewise preferably provided with inwardly angularly depending teeth I l.

The bands II], II of this appliance are thus adapted to be fixedly fitted to oppositely disposed upper teeth with the arched portion 13 disposed adjacent the inside of all the upper teeth as best shown in Figure 1.

The device shown in Figure 7 is illustrative of an appliance of the removable type and comprises a pair of yoke portions [5, IS, an arched spring portion I! for spreading the yoke portions away from each other and against oppositely disposed upper teeth, and the wire portion l3, similar to that of the appliance shown in Figures 1 to 6, whose opposite ends are similarly secured to the inside of the bands I5, I 6 and whose medial part is likewise provided with inwardly angularly depending teeth I 4.

It will thus be seen that when appliances of the general character herein illustrated and described are fitted within the mouth, suction within the oral cavity is broken and thus prevented by inflowing atmospheric air, indicated by the arrows in Figure 3, which enters the oral cavity around the thumb. Since the inwardly angularly depending teeth engage the inserted thumb and make for discomfort, the child is soon broken of the habit as clinical records disclose. The necessity for orthodontia work is thus frequently made unnecessary and in cases where it has been made necessary by prolonged thumb sucking, the habit may be quickly broken and orthodontia work commenced.

While but several embodiments of this invention have been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the constructions shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit of this invention as defined by the following claim.

I claim:

In a device of the class described, an appliance having portions adapted to be fitted to oppositely disposed upper teeth in the mouth of a thumbsucking child and having an arched portion secured at its opposite ends to the teeth fitting portions, said arched portion having depending teeth which teeth when the device is in fitted position are engaged by the inserted thumb whereby suction in the mouth is precluded.

JAMES D. LOCKE. 

